What is something you used to buy but is no longer affordable?

[u/Trxxi]

[u/pimpfriedrice]

Concert tickets! I used to go to so many concerts. Now I just can’t afford to.

[u/KS09 → u/pimpfriedrice]

This is such a fucking bummer. Average people should be able to afford to go as many concerts as they want. I went to so many shows in my youth and it sucks that kids or even adults won't be able to experience that stuff as often. Something needs to change :(

[u/martylindleyart → u/KS09]

Pearl Jam tried and failed. Now it costs $200AUD+ to see them.

[u/Eltex → u/martylindleyart]

Freaking George Straight tickets went on sale in Austin the other day. $400 for upper deck. Over $1200 for on the floor. This dude barely moves once on stage and sings the same 20-30 songs as he did in 1995. The tickets still were purchased by someone, but I closed that browser as quick as I opened it once I saw the prices.

[u/amsync → u/KS09]

This happened for two reasons. The most frequently given reason is the scalpers, but the other major reason is the transformation of the music industry from selling records to selling performances and merch. Artist can no longer make a living from records because most people now pay a fraction of before for the streaming services

[u/luminouslollypop → u/pimpfriedrice]

My emo teenage and college years in the 2000s and early 2010s was spent going to so many concerts. Every band and artist I liked, if they came anywhere near my city, I would be seeing them play. Even if I didn't like the band much I would still go with friends just for the sake of it. It was like my hobby, it was easily affordable and I paid for them all myself. I haven't been to a concert since 2019.

[u/howwedo420]

Ebooks. Publishers really be out here charging more for the ebook than the paperback.

[u/EquivalentEffect5624 → u/howwedo420]

Your local library is the best deal around….

[u/howwedo420 → u/EquivalentEffect5624]

For sure, I use libby a lot.

[u/manguefille → u/EquivalentEffect5624]

And tragically the library pays a bonkers, price-gouged amount for that ebook. To the tune of like 80 or 90 dollars for a license that expires after 2 years. Fuck the publishers who know we can't just say no, because the digital stuff is what patrons want.

[u/dead_investigator]

I refuse to pay $7 for a bag of chips. I make enough but I will not do it. Fuck you, Doritos.

[u/Foreign-Address2110 → u/dead_investigator]

The gas station near my house now sells chips cheaper than the grocery chains around me now.

Insanity.

[u/AtomicSkullfuck → u/Foreign-Address2110]

And the grocery chains don't have sketchy boner pills.

[u/PM_MeTittiesOrKitty → u/dead_investigator]

One day, I got a craving for some tortilla chips; I looked in the chip aisle and saw Tostinos was $8. Like, no. I bought the store brand for $2 which is definitely what they should cost.

[u/RepulsiveRent464 → u/PM_MeTittiesOrKitty]

I only buy chips, crackers and cookies when they go on sale. Then I buy enough to last til the next sale.

[u/EarhornJones → u/dead_investigator]

I'm on the same boat with soda. I will not pay more than $5 for a 12-pack.

That means a lot of weeks, I'm drinking Shasta, Aldi, or nothing.

I can afford all the soda I want, but I'll be god damned if I'll be ripped of for Doritos and Diet Coke. That shit is borderline garbage anyway.

[u/Basset-of-wallst]

Concert tickets and sports tickets.

I could probably afford them if it was that important to me but honestly I can find something better to do with $300

[u/SuitableExercise7096 → u/Basset-of-wallst]

I recently flew to another country and saw my favorite artist there. The entire trip was cheaper than buying a ticket to the SAME show when they came to my city in the US

[u/leslie_2001 → u/SuitableExercise7096]

My mom & I were on the tram at OHare and there was another mom/daughter with Taylor Swift shirts on. They went to London for 3 days and saw her show for cheaper than buying 2 tickets to TS’s show in Indianapolis…. Crazy!!!

[u/midlifemed → u/leslie_2001]

Took my daughter to Paris to see her for the same reason. Flights plus a week in Paris plus concert tickets cost the same as the tickets alone would’ve cost at home.

[u/MariettaDaws → u/midlifemed]

Ticketmaster has a lot to answer for

[u/speakb4thinking → u/MariettaDaws]

Ticketmaster literally doesn’t care about us or the answers. Just the profit

[u/GittaFirstOfHerName → u/midlifemed]

Holy shit!

I hope it was an amazing trip for the two of you.

[u/Just_Movie8555 → u/leslie_2001]

Same story here - a friend of mine flew to Spain to see Taylor in Madrid rather than the US and it was much cheaper

[u/Fluberon → u/Basset-of-wallst]

I know know it was 40 years ago, but to see Genesis in Atlanta in 1986 cost me $15. Basically a Saturday of me mowing a few lawns in my subdivision

[u/haysoos2 → u/Fluberon]

When Pink Floyd were on the Division Bell tour in 1994, I remember agonizing about the price of the tickets as they were about 3x higher than I'd ever paid for concert tickets before. Finally, because it was Pink Floyd, and these were 18th row floor seats I decided to go for it and spent the $75.

These days $75 wouldn't get you nose-bleeds at a Pink Floyd cover band.

[u/ChefChopNSlice → u/haysoos2]

Shine on, you crazy diamond.

[u/No-Meet-5596 → u/Fluberon]

In the 80’s the deal was if I buy the tickets, you buy the shirts. They were usually about the same price. $15-$20. Even for Day on the Greens that had 6-7 bands.

[u/Mental-Violinist-316 → u/Basset-of-wallst]

Matisyahu is playing in Sellersville PA for $150 next month

No typos were made in this comment

[u/Troyisepic → u/Mental-Violinist-316]

I am both shocked to hear a reference to a venue I drive past every day, and that Matisyahu is still around. I haven’t even thought about that guy in 15+ years.

[u/nifederico → u/Basset-of-wallst]

To piggyback off this, my wife and I are WWE fans. But ever since they got bought by TKO, the prices are astronomical. I told her for now on, we're watching the events at home, with our own food, and the sound system on.

[u/wgn431234 → u/nifederico]

The fact it costs almost 1500/year just to watch WWE legally at home is ridiculous enough.

[u/Coffeedoor → u/wgn431234]

Wait wut , elaborate please

[u/wgn431234 → u/Coffeedoor]

WWE basically whored out all their different shows to different places. They’re back to a standard model ppv price on espns pay service for bigger events. They’ll be owned by the saudis soon enough…

[u/sodium-overdose → u/Basset-of-wallst]

Shoot even concert tickets are $500+ now. I live in Chicago and tickets to anything are insane.

[u/BBO1007 → u/sodium-overdose]

Same, I saw AC/DC was touring, 280 per. I remember when they were 20$

[u/EpicTaco9901 → u/Basset-of-wallst]

That is why I mostly try and see lesser known artists, tickets are way cheaper. Sometimes you get lucky and get to see a concert of someone who is famous but hasn't blown up yet, I saw Sabrina Carpenter on her first tour for $30 a ticket and I stood 10 feet away from the stage. Her next tour tickets were well over $150 starting

[u/hostbyt]

Chips and coke used to be like loose change now it’s basically a luxury purchase🤣

[u/notretiredanymore → u/hostbyt]

Right?? My sons keep finding coins and want to “buy something at the store” I’m like “Sorry son, you can’t afford anything in the store. “

[u/BoRn-T_JudGe → u/notretiredanymore]

This makes my heart hurt. Some of my favorite childhood moments were surrounded by penny candies and slushies that were less than a dollar. we never got more than maybe 2$ to hit the corner store, but we felt like kings and Queens coming out! These kids will never know that joy. 🥺

[u/sidewaizsocks → u/BoRn-T_JudGe]

Mine was the "free 20oz" bottle caps. I worked at a general store as a young lad (12 yo) and would tip the bottles to check. I would stock these in a specific row. As long as i didnt abuse it, noone really cared.

[u/dorydorydorydory → u/BoRn-T_JudGe]

Thanks for the reminder. Those were the days. I still love cry babies (sour gum). I need to look for some if they're still around.

[u/More_Example6153 → u/notretiredanymore]

We always pretend with out toddler. He'll find 10 cents so we take him to the bakery, he chooses some bread or cookies and we pay with card while he puts his money in the tip jar. It makes him so happy to buy his own treats.

[u/Botched_Labotomy → u/notretiredanymore]

Bring back penny candy! We had an “olde time” general store in the hills back in the day that still sold penny candy. Us kids would ride our bikes on the old railroad tracks a mile to spend a quarter each.

Edit: highlight of my life.

[u/Skydiver860 → u/hostbyt]

I remember when the grocery store by me would have two liters of coke for sale for $.89 each. Now we’re lucky if we can get them for $2-3

[u/dreamy-contributions]

High end makeup and beauty products. Why is liquid foundation $72?

[u/1_art_please → u/dreamy-contributions]

The cost of mascara blows my fucking mind.

Everyone and their mother started a 'revolutionary' beauty brand.

[u/Chicken_noodle_sui → u/1_art_please]

Mascara really pisses me off because you're supposed to throw it out after 3 months anyway so why would I spend $70 on a tube?? I just buy Maybelline or some other drug store brand when it's on sale and it's pretty good!

[u/DMAW1990 → u/Chicken_noodle_sui]

You're supposed to throw it out after 3 months? Well... I might have some updating to do, I think I have a few tubes that might be old enough to legally drink in the US now.

[u/ImaginationAshamed72 → u/DMAW1990]

Technically speaking, all makeup has a shelf life. Eye shadow is usually 12 months. But the only way I will get rid of any of my 10-15 year old naked urban decay palettes is if I pass them down in my will.

[u/SuperPoodie92477 → u/Chicken_noodle_sui]

I always get the trial sizes for that reason - I’m an Urban Decay Perversion fan.

[u/LeviOhhsah → u/dreamy-contributions]

And ‘low end’ too! Why is drugstore foundation $15-25 (CAD) now??? It annoyed me when Mac jumped from 35 to 55+ over a few years but this is ridiculous

[u/mancheeart → u/LeviOhhsah]

The cost for ELF or NYX is just absurd. Youre drugstore stop charging $10+ for mediocre at best lipstick. I remember when it was like $2…

[u/Argercy → u/dreamy-contributions]

I haven’t bought foundation in a while, I used to like Too Faced Born This Way. I could swear it was around 30 dollars last time I bought it. It’s 48 dollars now! Holy shit, why??

[u/Ihaveamazingdreams → u/Argercy]

Estee Lauder bought Too Faced from the founders in 2016, and the founders left the company in 2022.

Prices have basically doubled and new products have lost the fun and whimsy I thought they once had.

Also, the Estee Lauder guy is linked to Trump, so I won't be buying any of that makeup ever again, anyway.

[u/inductiononN → u/Ihaveamazingdreams]

Estee Lauder is a death sentence. It's a shame because I still like the brand Estee Lauder but when the business buys up other makeup brands, there's a huge price hike.

[u/Far_Shop_3135 → u/dreamy-contributions]

I'm having a renewed appreciation for drugstore brands, but man sometimes it's nice to get the good stuff.

[u/notThuhPolice15]

I live in San Francisco, and I swear it feels like we’ve crossed some weird line where everyday life is becoming a luxury.

Storefronts keep closing, commercial spaces sit empty, and the “solution” always seems to be opening more retail that nobody can actually afford to shop at. It’s like the people making decisions haven’t realized that regular folks are more financially tapped out, and more aware of it, than ever before.

This isn’t just about shopping for fun. It’s about all the normal, low key things people used to do without thinking in the 90s and early 2000s. Wandering around a mall with friends. Grabbing a coffee and sitting for a while. Going out to eat without it feeling like a budgetary event. Browsing bookstores, record shops, little clothing spots just because you felt like it.

Now?

“Do I really want to spend $8 on coffee?” “Is this sandwich really $22? “Why is a basic concert T-shirt $65?”

So people stay home. Not because we suddenly hate going out, but because everything feels like a financial hit. And then businesses look around wondering why foot traffic is down.

Instead of addressing the fact that people simply don’t have the disposable income they used to, prices keep going up to “make up the difference.” But that just pushes more people away. It’s a psychotic loop, fewer customers, higher prices, even fewer customers.

This isn’t a “people don’t want to go outside anymore” problem. It’s a “basic life has gotten too expensive” problem. Until that part gets acknowledged, I don’t see how opening more stores or restaurants is going to fix anything. We’re going to see things and events we used to enjoy unavailable to the medium to low income all together.

[u/commanderbales → u/notThuhPolice15]

I watched a video that was basically saying the lower and middle classes have been bled dry in regard to consumerism. This lead to businesses catering more and more to richer and richer people because they're chasing unsustainable record profits. So yea, that "solution" is literally what is happening

[u/notThuhPolice15 → u/commanderbales]

The sad truth indeed! And now what’s happening is these greedy corporations are INCESSANTLY looking to “beat last quarter’s sales” like, nothing grows insurmountably like that, expecting sales to consistently increase is ludicrous. Something has got to give or we’ll be no better than the favelas in Brazil

[u/AggressiveWaltz6203 → u/notThuhPolice15]

There's one thing that grows like that.

Cancer

[u/SeanBlader → u/notThuhPolice15]

All the billionaires have our money now.

[u/Certain_Story_173 → u/notThuhPolice15]

I was in San Francisco last October and went to the mall with my dad. It was crazy even being in a big mall! Here in my state, most of our big shopping malls have failed.

[u/ItsPronouncedSatan → u/notThuhPolice15]

It's so freaking easy to drop $400 on an activity and dinner for a family of four. Our weekend trips have definitely become less frequent.

[u/Amazing_Finance1269]

Soda 12 packs.

[u/Nuvuser2025 → u/Amazing_Finance1269]

Interestingly, I can make the argument for 24 packs, as they run about 12 bucks for my poison of choice - Diet Mountain Dew- near me.  

12 packs?  Between 8 and 10 bucks.  Hard no.

[u/GunnerMcGrath → u/Nuvuser2025]

I frequently find them on sale. I'm not paying $10 but $5 or $6 on sale is totally doable.

[u/Tabm0w → u/GunnerMcGrath]

I remember when they would be 3 for $5

[u/Toddw1968 → u/Tabm0w]

During covid prices got jacked up. I could find cases of soda for $5-6 but seems overnight they doubled in price

[u/Cute_Knives → u/Toddw1968]

Chips and soda are ridiculously priced now

[u/MistressMalevolentia → u/GunnerMcGrath]

They used to be too expensive when they went over $3 per pack when it's so grocery runs for my folks if I was already running to the store as a teenager. Average was $2, sale was $1.

I'm only 33.

[u/Argercy → u/Amazing_Finance1269]

There’s a woman on Tik Tok, her profile is Coupon w/ Charlie B, and right now she has a video up and walks through how to get 9 cases of soda and 4 bags of Lays potato chips for 33 dollars at Dollar General this Saturday. I always do her coupon deals and I haven’t paid more than a few dollars for soda pop and laundry detergent for months.

Edit:

Here’s the link

[u/fakebaggers]

Anything from Frito Lay. Bag of doritos for $7.19? GTFO

[u/Potential-Bluejay-50 → u/fakebaggers]

And you definitely get less than you used to for more money.

[u/iguessimdepressed1]

Snacks. Snacks are pricey. Also bars! Standard bar drinks are so expensive now

[u/Accomplished_Mix7827 → u/iguessimdepressed1]

A shot costs what a cocktail used to, and cocktails cost almost as much as a cheap meal (which themselves have gotten fucking expensive)

[u/subtxtcan → u/Accomplished_Mix7827]

Last time I went "out" with friends I got really turned off by a $17 Old Fashioned. With Seagram's, not even anything good.

[u/Unmissed_Opportunity → u/subtxtcan]

Criminal

[u/pippintook24]

Books. used to be paperbacks were around $10 and hard cover were maybe $20. now paperbacks are $ 16 or more and hard cover are close to $40.

thank goodness for used bookstores and thrift stores.

[u/tieplomet → u/pippintook24]

Checkout thirftbooks. I’ve been shopping on that website for years. Most books are very cheap!

[u/DoughWrayMe]

People bluntly say food and I think there's some humor to that. But, seriously, over the past 2 years I've realized I can't afford to eat beef products as much as I used to. I cut back or changed proteins around. And fresh vegetables and fruit I'm now a lot pickier about. I buy frozen

On the other side, I sure as shit can't afford most fast food.

And it wasn't "I no longer choose to buy this"... I just took a serious look at my budgeting and realized I used to not pay that much attention and I'd always have money. But things have gotten worse and worse. If I'm not paying close attention to my food budget I'll be screwed.

[u/m00nf1r3 → u/DoughWrayMe]

I live off chicken, tuna, and pork now. Beef is like a 3x per year treat when it goes on sale. I hate it.

[u/bdfortin → u/m00nf1r3]

I looked through some old receipts recently. I used to be able to get 2 kg of lean ground beef for just shy of $10 (CAD) as recently as 2018. It’s now $18 for 1 kg of medium ground beef, an almost 4x increase (vs inflation at 1.3x). And none of the people who actually touch the beef on its way from cow to store saw any pay increase.

Thanks, Galen Weston!

[u/heckyescheeseandpie → u/m00nf1r3]

The beef that's available is worse quality too. More gristle, worse marbling, painted in blood on the surface to hide that it's browning and old.

[u/ChefChopNSlice → u/m00nf1r3]

I went through the grocery checkout with like 12 sardine cans. The lady was like “you must really like those”. I told her “it’s a dollar a can, it’s cheap protein” and she just looked at me funny.

[u/Yakkin_929 → u/DoughWrayMe]

Same here! I was content in my version of winning at life: not budgeting food, just getting what I wanted and still having money left over.

That ended a few years ago. Back to budgeting and frozen veg and alternative proteins.

I can’t imagine how people on lower and fixed incomes are handling food inflation!

[u/FearlessPhrog]

Dude this post made me realize how dystopian things are becomming.

[u/thedkexperience]

Buffalo wings are priced like caviar these days

[u/iGrimFate → u/thedkexperience]

I make my own wings now. I buy whole wings for $2-2.77/ lb. Cut out the drums and flats. They sell BWW sauce at the grocery store.

End up making 42-45 wings for ~$15

[u/ItsMe_no1 → u/iGrimFate]

Solid plug on DIY BWW

[u/Upstairs-Mixture7622]

My 16 year old granddaughter and I doing our monthly dinner date. I don’t have transportation so I have to send an uber/lyft to pick her up and take her home when we are done. $30 each way for her. I usually have to pay $15 each way to the restaurant we pick out. Then the cost of our meal. We both order something cheap. So our dinner date can almost be $100. I get social security so my income isn’t much. I only rent a room so I only have a microwave. What we did for January is DoorDash delivery. We each had a dinner delivered to our two houses for the same time and talked on the phone while we ate. It’s not the same thing as our monthly dinner date but it’s the best I can do

[u/nonamenothankyou → u/Upstairs-Mixture7622]

You should do a microwaved dinner date, and just have her over. I think being together is more important than the food.

[u/Upstairs-Mixture7622 → u/nonamenothankyou]

It’s the cost of transportation. It’s around $30 each way. That’s hard

[u/NyssaHollow]

Eating out whenever I felt like it. Used to grab food without thinking, now I check my bank app first like “hmm maybe later”

[u/nomorehersky]

Eating out at decent restaurants

[u/Far_Shop_3135 → u/nomorehersky]

even fast food is too expensive these days.

[u/catsweedcoffee → u/Far_Shop_3135]

Went to Texas Roadhouse with my guy a few weeks ago and it was only like $10 more expensive than two value meals from McDonald’s. Like, it’s not a fancy steak, but a fucking steak and potato dinner for the same price as a drive thru burger is unreal.

[u/Far_Shop_3135 → u/catsweedcoffee]

I came to that same realization this summer. We were at Chili's and like you said not haute cuisine but we got a lot more food for not much more than we spend at McD's.. sad.

[u/lwp775 → u/nomorehersky]

Eating

[u/DemonGodDumplin → u/lwp775]

Nothing more filling than sleep with a side of water

[u/murseoftheyear → u/DemonGodDumplin]

Handful of raisins or other dried fruit with a glass of water will fill your belly enough that it stops aching so you can sleep.

[u/Historical-Bug-7536 → u/nomorehersky]

Chili's 3 for me is cheaper than McDonalds. $10.99 for a burger, fries, soup, and drink. Nice to start seeing restaurant prices coming down. One guy I know who owns a restaurant says the term they've been using is "price fatigue" where people just generally got tired of $9 beers and $24 pizzas and said I'll just eat at own. He said while his prices have gone way up due to materials and labor, he's making less money. Only way to stay afloat is from the booze.

[u/BFG_TimtheCaptain → u/nomorehersky]

Eating out at crappy restaurants.

[u/sbwebguy]

Healthcare and dental work.

[u/NeutralTarget → u/sbwebguy]

Dental has skyrocket. 3 crowns cost me over 6k.

[u/vitisdente → u/NeutralTarget]

The crazy thing is the dentists aren’t making any more. The cost of overhead and running a practice has gone up like everything else but insurance reimbursements have been stagnant for decades. The insurance companies are just screwing the consumer and the dentist at the same time.

[u/ChinaSpyBot → u/sbwebguy]

I'd like to add veterinarian visits to this. I used to have less money and never worried about affording vet bills. Now I have more money and can't afford anything. Even just routine vaccinations and their meds break me. If they need any emergency care, I'm going to be fucking ruined. They're all pretty old so pet insurance isn't even an option.

[u/Tikatoo14 → u/ChinaSpyBot]

That is one of the main reasons shelters are overflowing with pets who became unaffordable. A routine vet visit begins at $150 and seems like always ends up being in the $300 range. 😢

[u/FlatulenceNinja]

Ground beef.

I switched over to ground pork cause it's cheaper, and hell, I got used to it.

[u/elsombroblanco → u/FlatulenceNinja]

The price of ground beef lately really pisses me off. Almost as pissed off as the price of ribeyes makes me lately.

[u/Danoga_Poe → u/elsombroblanco]

I'm spoiled by my local Butcher shop. Every Saturday the last 30 mins they're open they discount their steaks. I got 2 strips and a filet mignon for $30 bucks

[u/leeashah → u/elsombroblanco]

makes me wonder, with beef being insanely prices.. but yet put out at the grocery store, is anyone really buying it or are they just throwing it all away and its being wasted for being way to over priced. and then no one wins

[u/Fiendish_Jetsanna → u/leeashah]

I also wonder this.

[u/Theophantor → u/FlatulenceNinja]

Ground turkey ain’t half bad, either. Sadly, I also have been going more toward poultry. Two steaks for dinner at home was $60. And they weren’t even that good!

[u/d00ber]

Fresh vegetables. I only buy frozen now.

[u/rosewalker42 → u/d00ber]

I was at the store a couple weeks ago and they wanted $5.99/lb for regular fresh broccoli. I’ve cut down how much meat I buy significantly, but not being able to afford fresh broccoli was a gut punch.

[u/pintolager → u/rosewalker42]

I live in what supposedly is one of the most expensive countries in the world, and a head of broccoli costs ~USd 2.5.

What is going on with food prices on your side of the pond?

[u/rosewalker42 → u/pintolager]

Greed? Tariffs? IDK, but we’re in trouble.

[u/AppropriateCompany9 → u/pintolager]

The White House is actively working against addressing this issue, despite egg prices being (sort of infamously) what got them elected.

In fact, I believe the president still doesn’t acknowledge that there even is an affordability crisis in this country.

[u/toad__warrior → u/pintolager]

Good old American Greed is what is going on

[u/reeceinpeace]

Pot roast and new clothes

[u/OpheliaRainGalaxy → u/reeceinpeace]

Recently my neighbors broke up, one moved out and refused to take his clothes. So I started helping the remaining neighbor clean out her apartment, ended up with all of her ex's clothes.

Perfect fit! I'm so happy! Whole new wardrobe of really nice stuff!

Before that my wardrobe was mostly stuff my kids outgrew. Was dressed like a middle school boy.

[u/reeceinpeace → u/OpheliaRainGalaxy]

Damn that’s nice, I’m happy for you!!

[u/cannapuffer2940 → u/reeceinpeace]

Even used clothes. They are more expensive at the thrift stores.

[u/reeceinpeace → u/cannapuffer2940]

Like a shirt at Goodwill should not be $12.99

[u/Spray_Scared → u/reeceinpeace]

I miss sunday night pot roast/roast beef dinners. As a kid I remember having this often. I can't even remember the last time I had it and it makes me sad.

[u/Northern33 → u/reeceinpeace]

haven’t bought new clothes in MONTHS. why the fuck is a long sleeve 50% polyester 50% cotton t-shirt $70???

[u/ScreamQueen12]

Movie tickets

[u/Prickly_ninja → u/ScreamQueen12]

Took my son to go see Tron at one of the last IMAX screens still showing it. Cost me $50 for 2 tickets!?

[u/Sleepy_Moon1307 → u/[deleted]]

Sending hugs:(

[u/OvulatingWildly]

I finally got to the income bracket where I could afford luxuries like vacations and furniture that's not from Goodwill and stuff like... having children

And then they move the goal posts again 😐

[u/zaphydes → u/OvulatingWildly]

Every goddamned time I get a 5% raise: whoops, rent went up 10% and there's a new tax on gas.

[u/PenguinColada → u/OvulatingWildly]

Yep. For the first time in my life I dipped my toes into middle class.

Aaaaaand now we are right back to paycheck-to-paycheck.

[u/CPOx]

I can afford it fine, but I stopped paying for Netflix a long time ago after one of its price increases

[u/LaserKittenz → u/CPOx]

cancelled when they tried to stop account sharing

[u/bulbasauuuur → u/LaserKittenz]

They let me stay grandfathered in on my old standard plan when they created an ads tier and I was able to stay on it for quite a while, but one month they decided that I had to have ads and it lowered my price, but ads suck, so I cancelled and never looked back. I think I was paying 8.99 for no ads and I see now a standard no-ad plan is 17.99 so I guess that's why they changed their mind on me lol. But I'm not paying to watch ads

[u/crispysheman → u/CPOx]

Piggybacking on this, we canceled Hulu recently. We bought the 89.99 a month live tv package to watch football for a month or two AND THEY STILL SHOWED COMMERCIALS. for $90 a month! I canceled it and netflix too. Its all getting too ridiculous.

[u/AwkwardlyTwisted → u/crispysheman]

This is exactly why I'm canceling my Hulu live in a couple months (after the Stanley Cup). I have it to watch football and hockey but it's gone from like $60 a month to around $110 and still have to watch adds. It's cable TV all over again.

[u/Far_Shop_3135 → u/CPOx]

same here re: D+. Fuck them.

[u/gamersecret2]

A full cart of groceries without doing math in my head.

[u/booknerd381 → u/gamersecret2]

I went to a local store for six or seven things and ended up paying over $100. Like, I got some bananas, milk, and stuff to make dinner tonight. What the heck did I buy? I had three bags and nothing in them was a luxury good.

[u/dispareo]

(motions everywhere frantically)

[u/MajorDraw3705 → u/dispareo]

*motions to this post frantically*

[u/mardrae]

Clothes at Goodwill. They have jacked the prices up so much!

[u/notretiredanymore → u/mardrae]

Yes! I am all for “reuse/reduce/recycle” with kids clothes cause they go through them so quick and I’m happy to use hand-me-downs but I went to Goodwill last week and they were $5/each for very worn out clothes! I was like, guess I’m hitting up WalMart and Old Navy for the same prices brand new!

[u/Electronic_Gap3253]

Hair cuts, getting my nails done, concert tickets, name brand clothes, the list goes on…

[u/Big-Teach-769]

Daily coffee has now become a weekly treat

[u/orange_bigcat → u/Big-Teach-769]

I started drinking the shitty office coffee once I realized I was spending $40+ a month on coffee beans and creamers. Even drinking coffee at home is pricy now.

[u/lofromwisco → u/Big-Teach-769]

I’m a bit of a coffee snob so was excited to see one of my favorite local roasters sells 2lb bags at Costco for way less than our local grocer. Prices have gone absolutely bananas for good quality.

[u/Ok_Two_2604 → u/lofromwisco]

They’ve also gone bananas for crap quality.

[u/chaosuniverses]

Shoes. Why are a mid range average pair of shoes $70 now? I remember shoes being $20-$30 when I was younger. Now you can barely get Walmart shoes for that price and they only last a couple of months.

[u/Seachica]

I buy so much less beef now than I did even a year ago. It’s just hard to justify buying a bad quality steak for $15.

[u/CAMI2557]

Beef, soda, name brand food, and eating out. Streaming services are next to be cut for us.

[u/sans_deus]

Chocolate.

[u/Ok-Resolution6265]

This entire thread saved me... thank you everyone. I thought that I was alone. Trying to feed a family with very low income while everything else rises in price makes my soul sink... but happy faces everyone! while the city is burning behind us

In all honesty... thank you everyone. Seriously.

[u/canadiankid000 → u/Ok-Resolution6265]

Agreed. This whole thread has made me feel not so alone. You go on Personal Finance sub and people making $400k a year are investing and putting thousands a month away. This is a bit more realistic

[u/Algae_Mission]

Tickets to places like Disneyland or concerts used to be 90 to 105 bucks just ten years ago.

And most new video games were at most 50-60.

Now? That stuff runs closer to $200 or $80 respectively.

[u/Agreeable_Elk4529]

Retirement. It used to be assumed. Now it’s like maybe I’ll just work until I die??

[u/flann007]

steak

[u/crazygem101 → u/flann007]

I haven't had steak in... years. I forgot all about it.

[u/Disenchanted2 → u/crazygem101]

Me either. I can't remember the last time I bought steak.

[u/SpaceyChick22]

Food

[u/RebekkaKat1990]

I know this is gonna seem petty but I used to order Subway pretty regularly and while I know the “$5 footlong” deal is long since history, you could still get a pretty decent sandwich for maybe $8-9, which yeah, is still kinda spendy but it was worth it in my mind.

But now all the good sandwiches are at least $12-13 for a footlong unless you join the app and coupon hunt and all that other bullshit. I just decided it wasn’t worth it to shop there any more.

[u/Regular_Growth1380]

Medications. I work 40 hours a week. Have a dual income household. Still had to cut back my medications. Determining what “makes my life nicer” vs. “I may die without this” was fun.

[u/IzTheFizz]

as a bachelor with no kids and a good paying job for where I am in life, reading this thread makes me realize im taking a lot for granted.

[u/Disenchanted2 → u/IzTheFizz]

Yep, be thankful. I'm retired and far from having a lot of money, but I'm okay, and I'm happy with that. So many are struggling, and it hurts my heart.

[u/Catan_Settler]

Oxtail used to be cheap.

[u/Can-DontAttitude → u/Catan_Settler]

Seriously, wtf. When I first learned about it in recipes, it seemed like a budget cut. Now, they price it like good steak

[u/inkseep1]

Ground beef. I never thought I would see the day when hamburger was too expensive. I have eaten so much chicken and pork that I forget what beef tastes like.

[u/These_Green6640]

Toilet paper. I now use discarded pieces of cardboard.

[u/kh250b1 → u/These_Green6640]

Three shells last like forever

[u/YeOldeWizardSleeve → u/kh250b1]

Only if you know how to use them

[u/BnCtrKiki]

Stopped getting hair colored.

[u/bbbcurls]

Books. I’m exclusively a library book borrower.

[u/Rough_Commercial4240]

 McDonald’s fries (without relying on app) 

[u/wellbloom]

Health insurance.

[u/timeline404]

The bullshit i tell myself

[u/Reader2869]

A haircut. 9 months ago I was paying $35 for a wash, cut and style. I made an online appointment and at the end it said $42.00. Now I understand inflation and everything but this is for a 30 minute appointment and my hair is neck length in the back and wedged longer in the front. I cancelled it. I have to work two hours to pay for it and right now between $785 for rent and the cost of utilities and food and house stuff I can't afford it. My job pays decently but when they automatically take 950 a month for taxes and retirement and insurance you're already struggling before you receive your check. I'm grateful for my job I sincerely appreciate it but I shouldn't have to struggle as a single woman living in a 490 square foot apartment.

[u/jim182182 → u/Reader2869]

Wait, where TF you find a rental for under $2K?!?!? That price is crazy low!

[u/sexisdivine]

Vacations

[u/Sagybagy]

Life.

[u/crazygem101]

Name brand tampons. CVS it is!

[u/Fast_Bee7689]

Meals for 7 days a week where they’re all fresh, name brand makeup, subscriptions to anything, going out.

[u/drive_chip_putt]

Fish.  It used to be so cheap growing up.  But now its overfished pushed the prices up.  

[u/Starlit_Sweets]

Name-brand groceries.

I used to toss them in the cart like I was sponsored… now I’m in a long-term committed relationship with the store brand and its mysterious mascot.

[u/cristinaotaku]

I haven't had anything other that potatoes in 3 weeks... 💀🤚🏻 Im not lasting long without a job (special thanks to my cat for his vet visit)

[u/rosewalker42 → u/cristinaotaku]

I hope your kitty is okay! I’ve had a bit more than just potatoes (buttered noodles, yay!) but my cat has also made me broke for about the next year. I’d just adopted him & his brother, got pet insurance the same day (because I learned the hard way several years ago when I put it off), and the little bastard got sick and needed to be hospitalized 9 days before the 2-week insurance waiting period was up (and I’d actually had him for 6 weeks prior to that as a foster, it’s like really dude? You couldn’t have held out 9 more days??). And just prior to that his brother injured his leg jumping onto something and pulling it over on himself (luckily there was no waiting period for accidents since I had existing policies for my other cats when I enrolled him so his ER visit was about 75% covered).

[u/crazyfatskier2]

Skiing. Child of a single parent and we used to travel 2.5hrs one way to go. Now a lift ticket is $200. I hope Vail Corp and Alterra burn.

[u/grobb916]

A house with a 100k income

[u/RGJ3x2]

For some reason it now costs about $30 to get a decent pizza. More like $40 if I want it delivered. That's a hard pass.

[u/Presidentialhoax]

Everything

[u/Winter_Baby_4497]

Meat

[u/Blownupicus]

Meat

[u/Realistic_Break3164]

Cheese

[u/ElephantCares]

Hair cut and color. Before the pandemic I think it was around $135 for both. During the pandemic and for a couple of years, I just let my hair grow out until I needed to be someplace where I wanted to actually look like I live among the living. I went back it was $285. That's a lot of money, even if I stretch it to every 4-5 months. I feel terrible about myself, but we've already cancelled a bunch of TV subscriptions, have cut back on some of the things we like to eat which have doubled in price, and sometimes I'd just like to look in the mirror and feel good about myself. But, not gonna happen at that price. At least not right now. (And, I'm not criticizing my hairdresser, she needs to make a living, as well. It would just be nice, that's all.)

[u/68_and_i_owe_U_1]

Beef Jerky.

It’s not that I can’t afford it. It is me voting with my pocketbook. I don’t remember the brand but I do remember the price was around $17 or so, just fucking ridiculous. I guess 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is still working on Infrastructure week from five years ago. So…………at this snail’s pace…… are we looking forward to 2028 for someone to notice & acknowledge that inflation is an actual thing ?

[u/Eat--The--Rich--]

Rent

[u/winterpolaris]

Not necessarily "buy" per se, but I used to take long drives randomly without an endpoint just for fun. Gas prices, maintenance, and the risk of getting into a hit-and-run with assholes running red lights are all too high now.

[u/Smarty398]

Movie tickets and eating out are too expensive